A Miracle In Bastogne
by cchickki
Summary: Eugene Roe receives orders to go back into town to rest up from battle fatigue. Instead he finds himself caught in a stressful situation that he can't seem to get out of. But he soon realizes it may be a blessing in disguise.
1. Chapter 1

_"Each moment of worry, anxiety or stress represents lack of faith in miracles, for they never cease." - T.F. Hodge _

* * *

Eugene Roe walked aimlessly in the forest; the only thing on his mind was to keep moving to prevent himself from getting trench foot, like poor Toye, and to get to his ordered destination. He checked up on the men's foxholes once in a while, but his mind kept drifting off to nothing. The silence of the woods didn't help, it just made the days seem slower. Day and night began to fuse together as he lost track of the hours, and memories events started to become muddled . All he knew is that when someone shouted "medic" that he'd be there to support in anyway he could. It was automatic to him at this point, but the past few days he'd become slower to react when he was summoned. Winter's noticed Roe's fatigue and told him to go to the little town in Bastogne and take a little R&R.

It didn't feel right, to keep going back to the ruined town. He mostly went back to gather more supplies but staying there just to rest didn't seem fair to everyone else. The rest of the men had to stay and fight in the godforsaken woods with very little breaks from the fighting or the cold. But orders were orders, and there was no doubt that Roe had grown weary these past few days. He concluded to himself that his time in the town wouldn't go to waste, that he would help out with the wounded in the church. He was sure Renee wouldn't mind the extra help, and Roe wasn't someone who could sit with nothing to do for too long without a purpose, it made him restless.

"Hey, Doc." A voice came from below him. Roe glanced down to see Martin sitting in a foxhole. His helmet was off; he had a piece of paper pressed to it and was writing quickly with a dull pencil.

"Yes, Sergeant?" Doc asked, sliding into the foxhole to join him. Martin was a stern man and could be very intimidating at times, but the men of Easy still loved him nonetheless. Martin finished whatever he was writing and folded the paper up. He held the paper close to himself in his callused hands for a moment, then extended his arm to give it to Roe, not looking him in the eye the entire time.

"Can you bring this into town, please? I want it to be sent out." Martin finally said. Roe took the folded paper and looked down at it, it read '_Patricia' _in neat letters. Martin took out another piece of paper and ripped it in half. He scribbled something down on it and handed that to Roe too. Roe saw that it was an address, along with a request to get stamps and envelopes. Martin looked a little melancholy and preoccupied, which was very unlike him. Since the death of Julian and being forced to leave him behind while he was dying, many of the men had lost their morale, Martin included. Roe held both papers in his shivering hands, waiting for further instructions.

"It's a letter to my wife. It's important that it gets mailed out." Martin muttered, not looking at Roe but staring straight ahead. The Sergeant twisted his wedding band on his finger, absentmindedly.

"Sure thing, Sarge." Roe replied, placing the papers gently in his pack. The medic climbed out of the foxhole. Roe started to leave when he heard Martin speak up again.

"Thanks, Doc." He said, quietly, finally meeting his gaze. Roe gave him a half smile and nodded.

* * *

Roe continued to to walk on, as he tried to find his way to the jeep that would take him into the town. He passed another foxhole; he could hear mild chatter of some of the Company men coming from in it but it ceased when Roe approached.

"Ah, Doc, it's just you." Roe heard Malarkey pipe up from in the foxhole. "We thought you were Foxhole Norman for a second." Malarkey was referring to Lieutenant Dike, whom the men weren't very fond of, and neither was Roe for that matter. Roe didn't answer and kept on walking when Malarkey stopped him. He saw Guarnere and Muck in the foxhole as well, staring up at Roe with a friendly but sleepy smiles.

"Say, Doc, you're going into town again, right?" Malarkey asked, emerging from the foxhole.

Roe nodded.

"Could you by any chance bring back some supplies? The boys have been in a slump lately, and I thought that maybe some extra supplies could make them a little happier." Malarkey had been right about that. Supplies were dangerously low as it is, and it seemed like they weren't going to get as much stock as they needed. Whenever someone was heading into town it almost felt customary to bring something back to the soldiers that remained.

"What do you need?"

"Um… cigarettes, extra socks, paper, anything like that. And, oh- maybe some more of that chocolate you had that Babe mentioned." Malarkey gave Roe a sly smile. He somehow found out that a woman had given Roe the chocolate. How he found out, Roe wasn't sure, but he didn't think that Malarkey knew that it was Renee.

"Sure. I'll do my best." Roe gave him a curt nod. Malarkey smiled warmly and clapped him on the shoulder. He jumped back into his foxhole and Roe kept on walking.

* * *

Back in the ruins Roe wandered around, going over the list of things he had to do while he was here. This was supposed to be his time to rest, as Winter's ordered, but Roe didn't mind doing favors for others. He liked feeling busy, and hated sitting around. He knew he had to find someone that that was constantly mobile to see if they could send off Martin's letter to England so it could be sent back to the States. But Roe needed to find envelopes before he could do so, which he knew was going to be difficult. Roe also went over the list of items that Malarkey had said to him. Finding those items would be difficult, too, but Roe knew the first place he'd stop at to look was the church. He looked over the ruined town, which seemed eerily quiet today. There wasn't many people rushing around like usual, in fact Roe didn't see anyone at all other than the dead bodies scattered around. Roe began to walk toward the church, kicking an empty bottle out of his way in his stride. It was strange that there was no one around, almost like everyone was hiding from something.

"Eugene!" A familiar voice called out. Roe turned his head to see Renee jogging toward him. Her usual kind and calm face was contorted with worry. Her eyes were wide and alert, which made Roe feel very uneasy. She stopped in front of him and gripped the sides of his arms, panting for breath.

"What's going on?" Roe asked, concerned.

"Someone in town thought they saw a unit of German troops rolling in, but that's not important right now, you need to follow me!" She exasperated. She tried to pull on Roe's sleeve but he didn't budge. "Come on, Eugene we have to move!"

"Wait a minute- are there really Germans coming in? Is the town hiding out?" Roe didn't want to follow her until he got some answers. The frantic nurse stared back at him with intense eyes. She tugged on Roe's sleeve again, trying to make him follow her.

"Please, we don't have time for this! The town hiding is just precautionary. Just follow me!" Renee begged. Both of her hands cupped his hand as she gave him a look of desperation. She bit her lip, hoping that he would oblige. Roe sighed, giving in, and followed her. She pulled him with surprising strength; he actually had a hard time keeping up with her. "I'll explain everything when we get there. Do you have any medical supplies on you?" She glanced back at him as she ran and pulled him along. He tapped on his pack with his free hand to indicate that he did.

"Is someone hurt, Renee?" Roe questioned, starting to feel more and more worried as she dragged him deeper into the ruined town.

"Yes and no… you'll see when we get there." She called over her shoulder. She made a sharp left turn, almost making Roe slip and fall on his side. He gathered himself and she pulled him rapidly to the front of a building. It looked like some kind of house and it was surprising that it was still standing. Most of the buildings in this area had been reduced to rubble. Renee let go of Roe's wrist and went to hastily knock on the door. A paranoid looking woman answered the door, but she looked instantly relived when she saw Renee.

"_Où avez-vous été? Elle souffre encore!" _The woman asked her in French, waving her arms around as she talked.

"_Je suis désolé, je devais trouver de l'aide." _Renee responded, stepping aside to show the woman the medic that she'd brought with her. The woman looked skeptical but opened the door so they could go in. Renee looked back at Roe and motioned him inside. He stepped in the dimly lit house as the woman closed the door behind him. The first thing he heard was someone moaning in pain.

Roe looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. Renee went over to him and sighed, trying to stay calm.

"There's a woman here who needs our help. I can't find anyone else around that wanted to come. They were too afraid of the Germans." She explained quickly. "But we don't have much time, she needs help immediately."

"Where is she?" Roe asked. She led him to what looked like the kitchen. There was a young woman, whom looked like she was in her mid-twenties with long brown hair that ran past her shoulders. She was lying on a wooden table, her belly was swelled and it looked like she was bleeding from the bottom of her dress. The young woman was in labor.

Roe shook his head and began to back out of the room, nervously. He had never seen a woman give birth before, and he had no idea what to do. Renee quickly went over to him and grabbed his hand and looked at him with pleading eyes again. The woman that had opened the door dabbed the pregnant woman with a wet cloth on her forehead, wiping off the beads of sweat. The pregnant woman continued to moan in agony, clutching the sides of the table from time to time.

"Please, Eugene. She's having trouble, and there's a great chance that she'll hemorrhage to death. It looks like it could be a uterine rupture. I need your help with the delivery. Please, you're a good medic." Renee looked back at the pregnant woman then back at Roe. He sighed, knowing that the decent thing to do would be to try and help. But he knew that he could be holed up here for a while, which wouldn't be good to stay away from the rest of Easy Company too long. He had a post to get back to, although Winter's had never specified a time that he wanted him to return. Roe sighed, afraid but he knew what he had to do. He nodded at Renee, agreeing to help her.

"_S'il vous plaît dépêchez-vous!" _The other woman cried. She kept the cool cloth on the pregnant woman's head, but it didn't seem to be doing much for her. Renee propped up a stool that she found in the corner at the end of the table, facing the pregnant woman's spread out legs. She peered under her dress, studying the bleeding and the woman's dilation.

"Let me see what's in your medical pack." Renee ordered Roe, softly. Her tone had changed drastically; Roe assumed that she was trying to seem relaxed so the two women wouldn't freak out. He took off his pack and started taking out all the items in it, including Martin's letter. He was scared as hell, even more than he was in the woods. But he knew that it had to be done. He had an innocent life to help save.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
I've been wanting to write a BoB fanfiction for a long time, but always had trouble coming up with a story until recently. I'm trying to make it is accurate as possible, given the fictional events being added, so I hope it's okay. ****And I'm sorry if the French isn't totally correct. I was using Google Translator for it. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Roe could only stare wide eyed as Renee used the last remaining cloth from his pack to clean up the blood around the pregnant woman's thighs. The pregnant woman, from what he could gather, was crying out obscenities in French from the pain that labor was inducing. Roe had healed men with some of the most graphic injuries the human eyes could ever witness, but for some reason _this _moment was utterly terrifying to him. Renee was shouting orders in French to the other woman present in the room and she would dash away then return with things she needed. Renee looked over at Roe and said something to him, her brow furrowed in frustration, but he couldn't seem to tune in and listen. Renee looked like she was at her wit's end; she got up from her stool and came over to Roe and looked him dead in the eyes. She waved her hand in front of his face so he could regain his focus for a moment.

"I know you're scared. I am too, but you need to pull yourself together, and come help me with this woman!" Renee said, forcing herself to be calm.

"I have no idea what to do! I treat wounded men! I've never been trained on how to help a woman give birth!" Roe exclaimed. The other woman returned with a bucket full of water. Renee nodded in thanks as the woman continued to change the cool cloth on the pregnant woman's forehead.

"That's okay, you still have enough knowledge to help me with this! Please!" Renee began to plead again, and Roe knew that he would never forgive himself if he walked out now.

"Do you have any experience with this kind of thing? Like were you a midwife or something?" Roe asked.

Renee shook her head, and smiled nervously. "No. I have no experience."

Roe sighed; feeling even less reassured then he did a moment ago. The pregnant woman let out another anguished cry, which made Roe and Renee flinch. The poor woman was in so much pain you could almost physically see it radiating off her body.

"Can you give morphine to a pregnant woman? We should do something about the pain." Roe walked over to the woman and studied her face. Her eyes were clenched shut and she was sweating profusely. Her hands were gripping the edges of the table so hard that her knuckles had turned white.

Renee bit her lip in thought. "I don't know, Eugene. That doesn't sound very safe for the baby."

"Not even a little bit?" Roe looked at Renee, but he knew it was hopeless. There was going to be no anesthetic for this poor woman.

"Here, have a look and tell me what you think." Renee told Roe, as she went back to her stool and lifted up the woman's dress. Roe was hesitant to step over, feeling embarrassed for the woman's modesty. "It's okay." Renee added, sensing his feelings.

Roe looked under her dress, but all he could see was a lot of blood.

"She's not dilating like she's supposed too. And there's signs of internal and external bleeding." Renee pointed out, but Roe had to look away. This woman was bleeding to death from the inside and he couldn't do anything about it. "Her cervix or uterus was probably ruptured during the process of labor… Eugene…" Renee's voice faded.

Roe was afraid it would come to this, that saving this woman's life would end up being a lost cause and a waste of time and supplies. But not only her life, but also the life of a newborn. All Roe wanted to do was run out the door, mail that letter, get those supplies, and return to that forest to be with the men from Easy Company. But instead he was trapped here, in this stranger's house, with a woman and a baby's life in his hands.

"Eugene… you know what we have to do." Renee said again, her voice so quiet that he almost didn't hear it. She looked over at the pregnant woman. "_Madame, j'ai quelques mauvaises nouvelles."_

The pregnant woman did something that surprised Roe – she smiled. It wasn't a cheerful smile, but more of a relaxed smile, like she realized something that she had been trying to figure out for a long time.

_"Je sais ce que vous allez dire, bonne nourrice. Je veux que vous pour sauver le bébé. Pas moi." _The pregnant woman replied unsteadily. She smiled again, then shut her eyes and sighed. This was the first time she looked peaceful since Roe had seen her.

Renee didn't look relaxed, but she just nodded solemnly with acceptance. The other woman began to cry softly.

"What's going on?" Roe asked bewildered by what was happening. He had no idea what was going on.

"Eugene, you need to help me perform a caesarean section." Renee muttered, not making eye contact with Roe, but still trying to wipe up the blood around the woman.

"A what? Wait you mean a C-section?" Roe was stunned. "We're not trained to do that, Renee! If we try doing one than the woman will-"

"She knows." Renee interrupted, her eyes downcast.

Roe finally understood. The woman knew she wasn't going to make it, so she told Renee that she wanted the baby's life saved instead of her own. Roe felt touched by this mother's sacrifice but he also felt extremely sad. This was the first time he would ever just let someone die; someone he had come to save. Renee stood up from the stool and said some things in French to the other woman who was crying over the pregnant woman. The crying woman looked reluctant to do anything but finally she obliged as Renee pressed further. The crying woman went to the pregnant woman's side and clutched her hand tightly.

"Do you have a knife?" Renee asked Roe. Roe looked down at the contents of his bag and saw that he didn't. He shook his head. Renee started to look through the kitchen. She frantically opened cupboards and drawers while rummaging through its contents. "We need something sharp to make the incision." She said aloud.

Roe sat in Renee's stool as she continued to search through the kitchen. He saw that this woman was losing blood at an alarming rate, and he knew that they had to do this C-section soon or both mother and child were going to die. Renee managed to find a knife; she held it up to show Roe. He inspected it but it didn't look like something he'd use on a patient. It looked like a butcher's knife and it was dulling on the edges. It also looked like it hadn't been cleaned in ages. Roe took it from Renee's hands and started to soak it in the bucket of water that the crying woman had brought earlier.

"We can at least make this as clean as possible." Roe said as he tried his best to make the knife a little more sanitary. Renee lifted up the woman's dress, revealing her stomach area. The nurse and the medic gulped in fear as they realized how close they were to performing this C-section.

"We need to make the incision here." Renee pointed to the woman's lower abdomen, well under the belly button. "The incision needs to be deep enough to reach in, but not deep enough to where it cuts the baby."

There was also the possibility of cutting and rupturing the mother's organs even more, but Roe didn't mention that. The mother had chosen to save her baby and not herself, but he didn't want to make this even more painful for her. Renee gazed over at Roe and gave him the nod. It was time to make the incision.

Roe started to lower the knife down toward the woman's skin. His hands were shaking so badly that he couldn't bring himself to make the incision. He was petrified that he'd accidently hurt the baby in the process. Renee gripped his hands and steadied him along. The knife slowly began to pierce the pregnant woman's skin. The woman screamed out in pain, making Roe cringe and stop halfway through the C-section. Renee had to force his hands along so he would keep going.

_"Vous lui faites mal! Vous lui faites mal!" _The crying woman shouted over and over again over the pregnant woman's screams.

Roe felt at that moment that he'd vomit because of his nerves. He faced away from the pregnant woman and began to gag; he could taste bile coming up his throat but he never fully threw up. Renee wiped the sweat off her forehead to steady herself for a minute then patted Roe on the back to alert him to the next step of the procedure.

"We need to reach in and pull out the baby now." Renee said.

Roe didn't feel prepared at all, but time was running out. He reached inside the woman, trying to block out her screams of pain, and felt around for the baby. Renee reached in too and helped guide his hands to find the child. At last they pulled out the newborn baby. Roe's hands trembled as he held the newborn child. The baby wasn't crying which instantly filled Roe's heart with dread.

The pregnant woman had stopped screaming. The crying woman shook her back and forth but she wouldn't respond. She was almost fully dead from blood loss. Roe felt a sudden rush of sadness as he realized that the mother would never meet her baby.

"Eugene, we need some scissors." Renee said, taking the baby from him for a moment.

Scissors. Now he knew he had those. He picked up his scissors and went to cut the umbilical cord but Renee stopped him.

"You need to wait until the baby can take in their own breath. You can see that the cord is still pulsing. It's still giving oxygen to the baby." Renee informed him. The mother would be dead soon and oxygen enriched blood wouldn't be able to keep being supplied through the cord. Roe held his breath and started to pray. The baby couldn't die after all this. The mother died so the baby would _live. _This isn't how it's supposed to be. Finally the baby started to cry shrilly, making Roe and Renee gasp in relief.

"Okay, you can cut it now." Renee told Roe. He cut the cord from the placenta as it stopped pulsing. He looked at the mother of the child. Her face was peaceful despite being covered in blood. She had passed away knowing that her baby would live. The crying woman continued to sob over her; Roe didn't think she even realized that the baby had been born.

_"Nous avons besoin de plus d'eau." _Renee told the woman but she didn't move. Renee sighed, frustrated. "Eugene, could you get some more fresh water? The baby needs to be cleaned right away." Roe had no idea how the woman found the water but he didn't stay and ask. He took the bucket and went to go search the house. He came upon a faucet outside and tested if it still worked. Remarkably it did. He dumped out the old water and filled it to the top with new water.

Back inside Renee started to gently clean the crying baby with a towel they found in the house.

"She's a girl." Renee told Roe, a smile spreading on her face. Roe saw how lovingly she looked at the baby and felt himself smile too. They did it. They had saved the baby. "Can you find a blanket, Eugene?" He went and searched the house for a blanket to wrap up the baby in. He found one in a separate room and brought in back to Renee.

"After everything's that's happened in Bastogne… this child is a miracle." Renee said in a hushed and dreamy voice. She was enchanted by this newborn. She started to rock the baby slowly as the crying began to cease. "Thank you for helping me." She said to him.

Roe knew he could leave now, but part of him didn't want to. Strange as it sounded he started to feel partly responsible for this baby, and that scared him. They were in the middle of a war; the chances of the motherless child surviving were slim. The woman crying didn't seem capable enough to take of her, and Renee was too busy with being a nurse. Roe sighed, trying to push these thoughts out of his head. He removed his helmet, revealing his spiky black hair, and scratched the back of his head.

"We need to, uh- take care of the mother…" Roe piped up, feeling bad for ruining the moment. He pointed at the mother's body lying on the table. Renee looked over at her and nodded.

* * *

They carried her outside and left her with some other corpses. It felt wrong to leave her there, but Renee said there was nothing else they could do at the moment. It looked like the towns people had started to emerge from hiding again as they stood outside. There wasn't any German's around after all, it was just a rumor. Renee told Roe that she would get help so this woman could receive a proper burial. He hoped that she was right.

Back inside the crying woman had vacated the kitchen. They could hear her sobbing upstairs in the house. The table and part of the kitchen floor was stained deep crimson from all the blood from the now deceased mother. Roe knew that those stains would never come out.

"What should we name her?" Renee asked, holding the baby. The baby girl had fallen asleep in the midst of moving the dead mother.

"Name her? She's not our child, Renee." Roe retorted. It took him a moment to realize what he had said. He felt heat rush to his cheeks and he saw Renee blush and avert her eyes from him, bashfully.

"She still deserves a name…" Renee mumbled still blushing slightly from what Roe had said.

"I don't know, you can think of something." Roe tried to brush it off, but he knew she was right. The little girl did need a name.

"How about Marvella?" Renee suggested. The name rolled off her tongue and came from her lips so sweetly. Marvella. He liked the sound of it. "It means 'miracle.'"

"Marvella… that's perfect." Roe smiled at the sleeping baby. Little baby Marvella – the miracle of Bastogne.

* * *

"You sure you have to leave?" Renee asked Roe. They were standing outside of the house now. Renee was still cradling Marvella with the blanket snuggly wrapped around the infant.

"I do. I've been away from my post too long, and I still have some errands I need to run for some of the other soldiers." Roe told her.

"Well, come back soon. Don't forget to come and check up on Marvella." Renee said with a warm smile.

"Of course. Take care." Roe waved and turned to leave. He tried to focus on sending off the letter for Martin and getting the supplies for Malarkey, but his mind kept drifting back to Marvella and Renee.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I did so much research on childbirth to C-sections, and everything in between, so I hope I captured it accurately! I also used Google Translator for the French, too, so I'm hoping that's a little accurate as well. ^^'**

**Thanks for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

**Super big thank you to MASHlover23 for the review! I'm so glad that you love the story! It really made my day and inspired me to finish on chapter 3 :)**

**Thanks for reading! **

* * *

Roe came back expecting to get chewed out by Easy's CO Norman Dike for being away too long, but he returned to find that Dike hadn't even noticed he was gone. Not that it was a big surprise. Lipton and Compton were the only ones keeping Easy organized in Ardennes Forest, and they weren't even the CO's. Roe saw that some of the men were eating beans by a fire, laughing and trying to make the best out of the whole situation. Staying in these woods had really gotten to most of the men, so it was nice to actually see them enjoying themselves. Roe sat on a stump outside of the group, not really hungry but dying for a smoke. He reached in his side pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Alex Penkala noticed he was sitting on the outskirts and waved to him to join them.

"Hey, Doc! Welcome back! Do you want a light?" Penkala extended his arm, offering his lighter to Roe. Roe smiled and took the unlit cigarette out of his mouth and stood up to walk over to Penkala. He kneeled down so the Private could light it for him. Roe placed the cigarette back in his mouth and inhaled gratefully.

"What were you doing out in town, Doc? I heard townspeople were kind of in a lock down." Muck questioned, scraping the beans around his can nosily.

"I… had to help someone…" Roe muttered. His thoughts instantly went to Renee and precious little Marvella. He couldn't help but grin at the thought of his and Renee's success at keeping the little bundle of joy alive.

"Whatcha smiling about? You saw a girl out there didn't ya." Guarnere said slyly, smiling impishly at Roe. Roe's face reddened as he tried to hide his blushing with his uniform's lapels. Seeing his reaction only made Guarnere chuckle knowingly. "Ahhh, so you _did _see a girl, huh, Doc?"

"Tell us what happened, Doc! Don't hold out on us!" Malarkey laughed along with Guarnere, playfully.

"I'm going to go check on Lieutenant Compton." Roe mumbled, turning on his boot heel and trudging in the opposite direction. The men howled their disappointment and protests for him not telling them any details, but Roe didn't want to share what happened in Bastogne. He felt that it was personal and he wanted to keep it just for himself.

Roe walked around for a while, asking fellow soldiers, replacements he thought since he didn't recognize most of them, if they knew where Buck Compton was. All the men pointed further and further into the thick of woods, which worried Roe. Compton hadn't been his usual self lately. He wasn't really losing his edge, it just seemed that the stress was really getting to him. Roe finally found Buck in a secluded foxhole with a tarp draped over it.

"Lieutenant?" Roe squatted down to see inside the dim foxhole. Roe could hear a rustling sound when Compton's head poked out. He looked severely sleep deprived and rough. His eyes were red-rimmed and watery with dark circles under them. Compton was usually a happier man, that enjoying joking around with the rest of the company, but lately he'd been extra quiet.

"Doc?" Compton said, looking up at Roe from his foxhole.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm back, and I wanted to check up on you." Roe explained, feeling a little awkward making an excuse to check up on someone. It was strange to have hiked this far into the woods to inform someone who wasn't his CO that he had returned, and Compton sensed that.

"You should be telling Lieutenant Dike that, and I'm fine." Compton replied, giving Roe a puzzled look.

"Yes sir, I just can't find him."

"Huh, you and me both. Lipton and I can't find him anywhere. He likes to pull these disappearing acts." Compton grumbled. Roe could tell that Compton was at his wits end with Norman Dike, too, him and the rest of the company. "If you see him, tell him to get his ass in gear." He joked.

"Yes sir." Roe smiled light-heartedly. Compton nodded at him, then went back under the tarp in his foxhole.

* * *

Roe had still been in a slight haze the following days, which wasn't good for a combat medic. He had dreamt of Renee and Marvella. They were in Paris, Renee was wearing a sundress with her hair down, spinning Marvella around in a circle. They were happy and giggly, even little Marvella was belly-laughing. Marvella looked some months older, almost having a full head of hair. Roe had felt almost rapturous and blissful for the first time in years. He had laughed along with them in the dream, but it had ended when he had woken up. He awoke feeling foolishly happy, but his optimism vanished when he realized that he wasn't in Paris; he was still in Belgium fighting in the war. He tried to push the dream from his mind so he could focus, but it was all he could think about all day. He had only known Renee for a few days and Marvella for a few hours, it was strange that those two have had such an impact on him.

Roe's senses had rushed back to him when Gordon had been wounded by a bullet. He was lying on the ground, bleeding and calling for help. Roe had rushed over to him and treated him to the best of his ability. Gordon would have to be taken back to Bastogne for his wounds Roe soon realized. The woods had erupted into chaos again, bullets whizzing, explosions, trees being rattled, but despite all that Frank Perconte had hurried over and helped Roe carry Gordon to the jeep to be transported to the town. Roe never wished for any of his men to be wounded, but this gave him the opportunity to return to Bastogne so he could see Renee and Marvella. As they got to the jeep, Roe was about to jump on when Dike came out of nowhere. Roe's heart dropped and his face fell. Roe had a feeling Dike wouldn't let him go along.

"Hang on, Doc. I need you here." Dike ordered nervously, ducking whenever a far off explosion went off. The battle started to die down a little, but the artillery was still enough for everyone to remain on their toes. "I need a medic around me in case something happens!"

_Now_ he shows up. Roe thought, annoyed. Sitting here talking was wasting time and would only make Gordon's wound become worse. Roe had to make a proper tourniquet for Gordon so he could slow down the bleeding on the way to the church. He hadn't had time when they were out in the open.

"We don't have time for this, sir! The Doc needs to go with Gordon and keep pressure on his wound! There's another medic in the woods somewhere, I'll lead you to him!" Perconte interjected, taking both Dike and Roe by surprise.

"You're sure?" Dike asked.

"Yes, yes. Follow me!" Perconte motioned the CO to follow him. Perconte gave Roe a sideways glance with a quick smile. Roe wasn't sure if he knew that he enjoyed going to Bastogne or not, but he was grateful. Without hesitation Roe jumped on the jeep and it took off.

* * *

The ride had been bumpy and seemed longer than usual. Gordon had whimpered the entire time about not being able to feel his legs. All Roe could do was assure him that everything would be fine, although Roe knew that it was a bad sign. Gordon also carried on about stopping the Krauts and how he wanted to make them pay; Roe knew it was just adrenaline talking but it seemed to make Gordon feel better doing so. The jeep finally arrived at the church and Roe helped some other men unload Gordon and get him in there. The town was completely different than how it had been the other day, it was buzzing with life again as people rushed back and forth from the ruins. Inside Roe noticed that there was barely anymore room for wounded men but they managed to squeeze Gordon in somewhere. Roe could see a lot of men from D and F Company, which made him nervous. They were getting hit hard, and it would only feel like a matter of time before Easy Company would lose even more support. They were hanging on by a thread as it was.

Roe remembered why he'd been excited to come back to the town and went looking for Renee. He found her in the back room with the mural that had most of the supplies stashed in it. Renee noticed Roe and smiled, but Roe noticed Marvella wasn't with her and instantly felt worried.

"Eugene! It's good to see you again!" Renee beamed. She noticed Roe look around and his worried expression etched on his face. "Marvella's back at the house." She told him. He exhaled with relief.

"That other woman is looking after her?" Roe asked, his Cajun accent rasping with the cold and never ending battle fatigue.

"Aurélie." Renee corrected.

"Is she capable of taking care of her?" Roe remembered how Aurélie had done nothing but cry over the dead mother during Marvella's birth.

Renee giggled, finding it amusing and sweet how much Roe cared about the baby. "Of course she is, she was just in shock that day. Don't worry, Eugene, we can see Marvella in a little while." Roe felt excited again at the thought of going to see Marvella but he knew that he wasn't sent here to rest up this time.

"I don't know how long I can stay here…" Roe mumbled, disappointed. Renee patted him on the shoulder to cheer him up.

"Don't be sad, we can go right now, then." Renee said, already walking toward the exit.

"Right now? Don't you have to-" Roe started.

"I'm doing a check up on a patient." Renee replied with a innocent look at Roe. It was a half-truth, but Roe went along anyway.

* * *

"We won't be here long, I know we both have duties to do, but there's nothing wrong with visiting our little miracle." Renee informed Roe as they stood at the door of the house. Roe loved that she called Marvella "their little miracle." It gave him butterflies for reasons he did not understand. They were waiting for Aurélie to answer the door and let them inside. The woman opened the door and smiled at them both in recognition.

_"Venir, donc!" _Aurélie ushered them inside. Roe and Renee stepped in and saw that Marvella was lying in a crib in the middle of the living room. Admiration for the baby rushed over Roe suddenly. He shook himself out of it. He was being ridiculous, he wasn't the father of this child. Getting attached to people never was a good thing. "_Elle était sur le point d'aller dormer." _The woman added, following them into the living room.

"We made it just in time, Marvella was about to be put down for a nap." Renee informed Roe. She reached down and picked up the baby, whom squirmed at being held but didn't cry. Renee held Marvella close, lovingly rocking her back and forth. Renee kissed the baby on the forehead. "Do you want to hold her, Eugene?" Renee whispered to him. Roe held out his hands as Renee carefully placed Marvella into them. He wasn't sure if he was holding her properly so Renee adjusted him to where Marvella was comfortable. She stopped squirming and seemed to almost drift off to sleep as Roe held her. He gazed down at the infant and smiled, feeling his emotions take over him. He felt a heaviness come to his eyes like he was going to cry.

"Are you okay?" Renee asked him, noticing the look on his face.

Roe didn't respond. Suddenly shouting was coming from outside, snapping Roe back into his senses. He handed Marvella back over to Renee.

"I think I should leave now. I have to get back." Roe started toward the door, feeling overwhelmed but he didn't let Renee see it.

"Oh, okay. I'll see you soon, Eugene!" Renee called to him.

He left the house and ran in the direction of the shouting. It was soldiers looking for him, telling him that they needed to return. He looked back at the house one last time before it was out of sight. All he wanted to do was stay in the house with Renee and Marvella as they put her to sleep. He envied Renee a little for being able to stay with her, but he was glad that Marvella was in good care.

Unknown to him, this would be the last time Roe would ever see Renee.


	4. Chapter 4

Right when Roe returned to Bastogne, the town was in flames. The Germans were dropping aerial bombardments all over the place, causing the already ruined town to become even more destroyed. Roe stood as the eye of the hurricane; watching everything crumble to chaos around him as he stared in an immobile shock. Soldiers and civilians were running around him, screaming and barking orders, but the sounds of explosions had deafened all of them out. Roe's eyes locked with the church.

Renee… Marvella…

His heart jumped up into his throat at the thought of them being trapped in the middle of all this. Without a second thought Roe sprinted as fast as he could toward the church, not caring about his own life in the middle of an attack, like most good combat medics. His only goal was to reach Renee and Marvella, that's all that mattered to him at this point in life. He felt like he was running in slow motion. The distance between him and the church didn't seem to lessen, it only seemed to grow further and further away. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, pushing his body forward toward his destination. He had to reach them, he HAD to. A sudden piece of shelling made direct contact with the roof of the church. A mighty explosion erupted, causing Roe to stop in his tracks and shield his face from possible incoming debris. Most of the interior of the church collapsed in on itself, except the entrance remained standing.

"No…" Roe whispered in horror. He took off for the church again. The sickening thought of Renee and Marvella being inside washed over him, filling his entire body with dread. "No, no, no, no, no-" He muttered the entire time he ran to the church.

Roe entered the church. It had completely crashed in on itself, only rubble remained, scattered around in plies. He started to dig through the rubble, lifting everything he could that was light enough for him to carry. That's when he noticed it, a piece of blue fabric sticking out among the wreckage. He reached down and pulled out the fabric. It was Renee's blue headscarf.

He didn't make it in time.

He clutched the headscarf, feeling unbearably miserable. Renee was dead. She was still in the church when the shelling had caused it to collapse. The only person in his life that allowed him to open up and had brought him the slightest ounce of happiness was gone. And even worse, Marvella could've been in here with her. He couldn't move or think, he could only feel the crushing sadness weigh him down as he stood in the ruined church, gazing down at Renee's headscarf. He briefly remembered his dream, imagining Renee in the sundress with her hair down, spinning Marvella around in a circle. Someone was shouting behind him, requesting a medic over and over again. But Roe couldn't bring himself to tune into the shouts. He wished that whoever was yelling at him would just disappear and leave him alone.

Something seemed to click on in Roe's brain. Perhaps it was his instincts of duty that had been beaten into him over the past few years, but he knew he had to get moving. He gingerly placed the headscarf in his pack then turned to exit the church. Feeling grim, he walked the streets of the now fallen Bastogne, heading toward a group of soldiers who needed his assistance. He took his time reaching the men because he felt nothing mattered anymore. Not the war, not the Krauts, not Hitler, not his home in Louisiana, nothing. Renee and Marvella were dead, and it was hard to see past that.

A sudden voice shouting shrilly in French grabbed his attention. He stopped and turned to see a woman holding something in a blanket, looking wildly around for help. She seemed familiar, and he swore he could hear a baby crying.

It couldn't be… it was Aurélie!

He ran over to her, feeling pangs of relief and hope. She noticed him running toward her and instantly recognized his face. She was crying and so was the baby she as holding. It was Marvella!

"Is she okay? Is Marvella okay?" Roe asked her frantically. "What about Renee? Was she in the church?"

_"Prenez-la, je ne peux pas le faire. Je ne peux pas le faire!" _Aurélie babbled in French. She kept repeating herself. She held out the crying Marvella to him. "_Prenez elle, s'il vous plaît prendre son!" _She sobbed, pushing Marvella into Roe's arms. He didn't have a choice but to take her.

"What about Renee? Is Renee alive? Renee Lemaire?" Roe asked, desperately hoping that the woman understood him. It seemed too good to be true that Marvella was alive, and he couldn't help praying that there was a chance that Renee would be okay too.

Aurélie shook her head rapidly, sobbing as she continued to repeat herself. Roe wasn't sure if she was shaking her head because of Renee or that she was in shock from Bastogne being attacked. He still hung on to the hope that Renee was among the living.

_"Les Allemands l'ont fait." _Aurélie whimpered, pointing up at the sky.

"Renee?" Roe questioned again. Aurélie gazed at him, tears streaking down her face, her lip trembling nonstop. Marvella's cries rang through Bastogne as Roe held her close. He knew now. Renee was really dead. Roe backed away from Aurélie, their eyes locked in a mute understanding. She wanted him to take Marvella someplace safe. He turned on his heel and charged back toward the soldiers. He knew he had to act quickly. He couldn't bring Marvella into the woods with him, he had no choice but to leave her with another soldier who'd be heading back to England. He hated the idea of parting from her right after he found that she was alive, but it was his only option.

"Doc, we have some wounded! Come help!" A soldier called to him. There were so many wounded men, all being piled onto jeeps that were to be moved out of Bastogne. Roe jogged over to the soldier, protectively holding Marvella as he moved.

"Are any of you heading for England?" Roe shouted, getting the attention of a few soldiers standing by. They looked at each other, confused why there was a medic holding a crying baby asking questions about England.

"That doesn't matter right now! Help us treat these men!" The soldier stressed.

"Is anyone heading to England?" Roe shouted again, this time even louder than before. Marvella cried even louder when he shouted.

"Good Lord, put that baby down and treat the wounded!" One of the soldiers snapped.

"She's my responsibility!" Roe exclaimed, staring down the soldier fiercely. "She's mine, and I need her to go somewhere safe! Now the sooner you help me, the sooner I can tend to your wounded!" Roe's voice boomed, his nostrils flaring with intensity. These men weren't listening to him.

A skittish looking private stepped forward. His eyes were about the size of dinner plates, and he was shaking from head to toe with anxiety. Roe could tell that this was his first time being in combat. These damn replacements; always so eager to experience combat, then pretty much wetting themselves the moment they're in the middle of it.

"I'm going back to England!" The skittish private piped up. "My job was sorting mail here in Bastogne when we were attacked, and now I'm being summoned back!"

In a few strides Roe was standing in front of the private, eyeing him up and down to see if he was trustworthy enough to take care of Marvella. The private cowered a little, feeling intimidated by Roe.

"Is this baby really yours?" The private asked, skeptically, but still slightly frightened by Roe.

Roe sighed in frustration. "Look, I need you to take her back to England and find someone to look after her until I return."

The private studied Marvella for a moment, then took out a pencil and clipboard from a pack of supplies he had next to him in the jeep. He licked the tip of the pencil. "What's the baby's name?"

"Marvella…" Roe paused a moment, he realized he didn't know her last name. "Lemaire." He finished, surprising himself as the name slipped from his mouth. Marvella Lemaire. It had always felt like Renee's baby. "And my name is Roe, Eugene - Technician Fourth Grade, Easy Company 2nd Battalion."

"Okay." The private scribbled down their names and information quickly, then reached out and took Marvella gently from Roe's arms. He didn't want to let go, but he knew that this was for the best. He watched the private carry Marvella into the jeep.

"Make sure she's safe!" Roe called out. The private turned back to Roe and nodded his head. The jeep drove off, kicking up dust and sleet before driving out of sight.

* * *

Back in the forest, Roe kept his distance from everybody. He sat still, doing nothing but looking dead ahead. Winters was afraid that he was on the verge of a breakdown, but he assured him time and time again that he was fine. The truth was he had hardened himself to emotions. Renee was gone and so was Marvella, just in a different sense. He already had to tear Renee's headscarf in half to tie up Heffron's wound. Heffron had looked at him funny when he hesitated ripping the fabric in half, but Roe didn't want to explain it. The death of the men and of Renee had finally numbed him.

Roe's purpose now was to survive so he could go back to England and find Marvella. He didn't want to grow close to anyone in the company since he feared he'd get close to them like he did with Renee. The loss was too much and he never wanted to experience it again. Thoughts of wounding himself so he could be sent away to England started to flood his mind. It was such a cowardly way out, but a lot of soldiers were doing things like "accidently" shooting themselves in the foot so they could get the hell out of Bastogne. Roe wasn't sure if he could create a convincing enough wound that didn't look self-inflicted. He knew he couldn't bring himself to do it anyway, it was dishonorable and Easy Company needed him here.

Roe now sat in a foxhole by himself, thinking about Marvella and how he'd left her with a stranger. Her driving off in that jeep might very well be the last time he ever saw her again. Those thoughts made him feel nauseous. He tried to clear his mind by reaching into his pack to find some leftover chocolate that Renee had given him. His hand brushed across her headscarf. He pulled it out and studied it in his hands.

_Chocolat, pour vous._

Her kind voice replayed in his head, making that heavy feeling come back to his eyes. He felt like he was going to cry, just like when he was holding Marvella above her crib. That was the last time he'd seen Renee. He continued to stare at the soft fabric in his hands, when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey, Doc."

Roe looked up to see Sergeant Martin standing before him. "I wanted to thank you again for getting that letter mailed out for me."

"Yeah…" Roe mumbled, averting his gaze and looking back down at the headscarf. Martin knew something was bothering him; he stepped into the foxhole and sat down next to the quiet medic.

"Sometimes it's hard to find a purpose in all of this." Martin stated. "The longer we're here the more and more I question if all of it is worth it, you know?"

Roe remained silent.

"I think it helps to talk about it. Keeping all those feelings bottled up can break a man, I'm afraid that's what's happening to Buck. In my letter to my wife I talked about Julian's death." Martin continued. Roe looked over at him, wondering why he was telling him all this. "I know no matter how descriptive I am with the details, she'll never fully understand the feeling of witnessing what happened to him. But telling someone; letting out my anger and frustration about having to leave Julian behind, did help. I feel like a great weight has been lifted from my soul. But despite everything that we've gone through, despite being placed in this hell, I'm still glad I've enlisted and that I'm part of Easy Company. If I didn't I wouldn't know any of you."

Martin and Roe exchanged glances. Martin could see that Roe was confused why he was confiding in him with this bit of personal information. Martin let out a heavy sigh.

"All I'm saying is, whatever happened to you in Bastogne took a toll on you. It's been obvious to myself and the rest of the company. Maybe you'd feel better if you talked about it, wrote about, whatever you best see fit." Martin looked down at the headscarf Roe was holding. "It'll help you maybe find your own purpose in all of this." Martin explained, motioning with his hands.

"I think… I've already found my purpose, sir…" Roe mumbled, thinking about seeing Marvella again. "And I think you're right. If it wasn't for this war, I would've never met them." He thought of Renee and Marvella, the two girls that he'd only known for a short time; the two girls that had changed his life.

Martin didn't ask what he meant by 'them' but he let it go. "I'm glad, Doc." With that being said, Martin stood up and left the foxhole. Roe wasn't sure why Martin, a man known to be a little astringent at times, had went out of his way to sit and talk to Roe about that. It's almost as if Martin _knew_ what Roe was going through, although he doubted Martin knew about Renee and Marvella. Nevertheless, Roe was glad that Martin had spoken to him. Like Martin said, it felt like a weight has been lifted from his soul. Marvella was his purpose now, along with helping the men from Easy Company.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:**

**A big thank you to drvirtue for the review! I'm glad you like how I'm writing Eugene, and that you like Marvella! :) And thank you MASHlover23 for another great review! I'm glad you like Martin, he's one of my many favorites :) **

**I'm almost done with the fic, this'll be the second to last chapter. Thanks to everyone who has read it so far!**

* * *

_August 1945_

Roe stood in front of the hospital entrance, peering inside to see the activity of nurses, soldiers, and patients scurrying back and forth. Victory in Japan was just announced last week and everyone in Europe seemed to be celebrating with high spirits. The war was finally over, and Easy didn't have to be sent to the Pacific to fight. But this wasn't the thought that was on Roe's mind like the rest of the world around him. When Japan's defeat was announced he knew that he'd finally be able to head for England, he would finally be able to see Marvella again. The private that had took her that day Bastogne was attacked had kept his promise, he corresponded with Roe through letters on Marvella's progress and where she was being held - and now here he was, standing in front of the very hospital that the baby was living in. He couldn't figure out why he was so nervous, he had been waiting for this moment for almost a year, and now when it was finally time he couldn't find the strength to step inside the hospital. But he knew he had to see her, she was his purpose for surviving the war after all.

Roe took a deep breath and finally pushed his way inside. He saw a nurse sitting at an information desk further inside. She was talking to another solider, whom looked like he was being discharged. Roe waited behind him, twisting his Army cap in his hands anxiously. The soldier finished speaking with the nurse and turned to face Roe. He smiled blissfully then clapped Roe on the shoulder as he walked away. Roe gave the soldier a small smile before turning his attention to the nurse. The war being over really did give everyone a reason to smile, even to complete strangers.

"May I help you?" The nurse asked Roe. Her voice vaguely reminded him of Renee. He felt a pang of sadness in his heart for a moment, but he swallowed his feelings and ignored it.

"I'm here to see an infant." Roe stated, not really knowing what he should say. Most soldiers come into these hospitals because of wounds or to check up on a buddy, not come and claim a child. The nurse looked puzzled by his request, she squinted her eyes in confusion and cocked her head. "The baby's name is Marvella Lemaire." Roe went on. He started to feel paranoid now that Marvella wasn't here, and that the private had lied to him.

"Oh! Yes! You must be Eugene! Here, follow me." The nurse exclaimed. She stood up to lead him into the wards. "Private Donnelly told me the whole story. I remember the day he arrived; he came in holding a baby and said that she was a paratrooper's. It was the strangest story I've ever heard!" The nurse explained humorously as they walked deeper into the hospital. "It's also one of the most touching stories I've ever heard, too! It's so admirable that you'd risk your life to save this child and make sure she's well."

Roe didn't respond, he only followed her and listened silently.

"Is Marvella really yours?" The nurse asked. She stopped walking and turned to face him for an answer.

Roe's mouth moved to speak but no words came out. He didn't know how to answer that. He sighed, thinking of Renee. Marvella felt like her child, he just felt like the supporter from the sidelines when it came to Marvella's care.

"Not biologically, but I'm her caretaker." He replied at last.

"You adopted a baby in the middle of the war?" The nurse looked at him with awe. He shifted in his place uncomfortably. He wasn't used to this kind of attention, and he didn't feel deserving of it.

"May I see her?" Roe asked, growing a little impatient. He had waited seven months for this moment and that felt like long enough.

"Oh! Yes, sorry." The nurse replied, apologetically. She looked a little embarrassed for carrying on so much. She led him on until they finally came upon a small room with a crib. "We've been keeping her here and taking care of her. I think it's best to separate her from the rest of the hospital because of illnesses and wha-"

The nurse started to ramble on and on again, but Roe had tuned her out. He stood staring down at the crib. Marvella was there, laying down on her back and chewing on her toes and gurgling playfully. She looked so different than what Roe had remembered. She'd gotten older, even if it was only a few months difference. She had a tuft of dark brown hair on her head and milky skin. Her pudgy cheeks were rosy and healthy, and her now alert eyes were a deep brown, just like her mother's. Roe knew that it wasn't possible that Marvella would remember his face since she was only a few days old when she saw him last, but the way she looked at him, he swore she did. He smiled, feeling his heart melt from the sight of Marvella. The rapturous feeling rushed back to him. He bent over and picked her up. He held her up and she smiled a gummy smile, and he smiled back. A couple tears welled in his eyes, and slid down his cheeks as he held her.

She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. He never felt so much love for anyone in his life.

The nurse had stopped talking at this point, and was now observing the interaction between the baby and the medic. Roe cradled Marvella close and wished that he could stay like this with her forever. He had to bring her home to Louisiana; he had sworn to take care of this child, but Renee was gone he knew Marvella was his responsibility.

"I want to bring her with me." Roe told the nurse. Marvella reached up and brushed his chin with her tiny fingers, making Roe smile again.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Marvella is my responsibility, I came to take her home with me." He stated. The nurse looked shocked by his response, making him nervous. "What?" He questioned.

"You said she wasn't your biological child, I'm afraid that you can't take her with you." The nurse said sorrowfully. Roe stared at her in disbelief. "I mean, you didn't adopt her did you? Where are her parents?"

"Her mother died giving birth to her in Bastogne. I was one of the ones that delivered the baby. Me and a Belgian nurse were taking care of her." Roe explained. He clutched Marvella tightly, there was no way that he was going to lose her now. They had finally been reunited again.

"And her father?"

"I don't know. It was just the mother and another woman that was with her." Roe added.

The nurse shook her head, gloomily. She knew that the outlook that he'd actually get to take the baby home with him was grim. She hated being the one to deliver the news to him.

"Do you know the other woman's name?" The nurse asked.

"Aurèlie, but I don't have a last name. I'm not even sure she survived the siege, I saw her in the middle of the attack but I haven't seen her since." Roe told the nurse. He thought of the distraught Aurèlie handing Marvella over to him in the middle of the attack.

"I'm so sorry, Eugene Roe. Legally, I don't think you can take this baby with you." The nurse said.

Roe shook his head, refusing to accept what the nurse has told him. He couldn't leave Marvella again, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it.

"No! I can't just leave her here and go home! She's my responsibility!" Roe's voice rose, shaking unsteadily, but he didn't raise it too much so he wouldn't startle Marvella. He felt tears form in his eyes again, but this time they weren't tears of joy.

"There might be a chance if you talk to your CO… but honestly I don't see it being possible." The nurse barely spoke in a whisper. She looked at Marvella being cradled in the medic's arms, and at the medic's crying face. Her heart broke for them. "I'll do everything I can for you two. You should go talk to your CO right away." She extended her arms gesturing him to give Marvella to her. "You ship out soon, you don't have much time."

Roe was hesitant to hand Marvella back over. He looked down at Marvella and into her dark brown eyes. The nurses had been taking care of her for months, so he knew that he could trust her. He sighed shakily, and handed Marvella gingerly over to the nurse. He felt like his legs were going to buckle under his weight as he let go of her. He knew the nurse was right, he had to find his CO right away and explain everything, it was his only chance. He wiped his eyes hastily then left the room to leave the hospital. The nurse followed him, still holding Marvella as she went.

"I wish you the best of luck!" She called as Roe made it to the entrance. He looked back at her. He gazed at Marvella, whom gazed back at him in fascination as she teethed on her hands. Roe only nodded to the nurse and left to find Speirs.

* * *

Speirs was meeting with some of the other Lieutenants, along with Captain Nixon and Major Winters. Roe waited outside the door, growing restless and worried about waiting any longer. He knew that he didn't have much time to spare before Easy was shipped back to the States. He swallowed his uneasy feelings and rapidly knocked on the door.

"Hang on!" He heard a muffled voice call from inside. Harry Welsh answered the door, grinning when he saw Roe but his grin quickly faded when he saw the expression on Roe's face. Roe wiped his face, feeling a little self-conscious about how Lieutenant Welsh was looking at him. Roe noticed that his cheeks were still damp from crying earlier but he shook his self-conscious feelings away.

"Doc! What's wrong?" Welsh asked, concerned for their medic.

"I need to talk to the CO." Roe told him. Welsh motioned him inside and closed the door as Roe stepped in. Winters, Nixon, Speirs, and Lipton were all inside the room.

"Doc Roe, what's going on?" Winters asked, sensing his desperation.

"I-" Roe started, but froze up. He didn't know what to say, or how to tell these men that he wanted to bring an infant back with him. "I need help bringing something back from England." He finally said.

"Oh, that's all? God, Doc, you came in looking like something awful happened. I thought somebody was wounded for a minute." Nixon said, chuckling slightly. He opened a wine bottle and poured himself a glass. Welsh went over to join him for a drink. Welsh held up a glass to Roe, asking him silently if he wanted any. Roe shook his head.

"What do you want to bring back?" Speirs asked.

"I'm sure it won't be an issue whatever it is. One of our boys managed to get their hands on a motorcycle and were able to get it on board the ship home." Lipton added, smiling at Doc in reassurance.

Roe didn't reply, he knew that bringing Marvella back would have _very _different repercussions than bringing a motorcycle back. Speirs asked him again what he wanted to bring back. Roe exhaled, knowing that he'd have to tell him if he wanted a chance to take care of Marvella.

"A baby."

Welsh choked on his drink. Lipton, Winters, and Speirs gaped at the Doc, while Nixon stared at Doc, stunned as her poured another drink. His glass had overflowed and he hadn't even noticed.

"Uh… what?" Speirs asked, dismayed by Roe's answer.

"I helped deliver a baby in Bastogne, the mother died and I've been taking care of her ever since." Roe explained. "I sent the baby off with a private from another company who was going to England so she could be taken care of while we were gone."

"Jesus, Doc, why didn't you tell us?" Lipton blurted out. He looked at Roe with sympathetic eyes.

"I don't know…" Roe answered, honestly. He didn't know why he hid this from all the men, it just seemed right at the time.

Speirs ran a hand through his hair as he tried to process everything. He sighed in deep thought, as the others were too dumbfounded to even speak. The longer Speirs didn't say anything, the more nervous Roe grew. He was suddenly afraid of what his CO was going to tell him. He was afraid that Speirs would tell him that bringing Marvella with him was impossible.

"Does this baby have any other family?" Winters asked.

Roe shook his head. "I'm all she has as far as I know."

"I can talk to Colonel Sink, but that's the best I can do." Speirs proclaimed, shrugging in helplessness to the situation. "This looks more like an issue you'd need to talk to with an adoption agency."

"That would take too long. We're heading back home soon." Roe stressed, feeling stuck again like when he had to hand Marvella over to Private Donnelly.

"I'm so sorry, Doc. In the meantime it looks like the baby is going to be put in an orphanage. A lot of children have lost their parents during this war, so she won't be alone." Welsh informed Roe, placing a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort Roe.

Roe shrugged his hand off. "I can't leave her in an orphanage!"

"We'll do everything we can." Lipton soothed. "Go spend time with the baby in the meantime."

"Yes, sir…" Roe muttered. Those weren't the answers he was hoping for, but he knew that they'd try to sort everything out. He knew Lip was right, he only had a limited time to spend with Marvella, so he might as well make the most of it. Roe saluted the men, then left to return to the hospital, feeling heavy and defeated.

* * *

_One week later:_

Roe sat in the rocking chair, feeding Marvella with a baby bottle and rocking her back and forth slowly. Tomorrow was the day that Easy was boarding a ship and going home. He didn't want to leave, but he knew that he didn't have a choice. For the first time since the war began he dreaded going home. Telegrams and phone calls were made on Roe's behalf to take Marvella with him, but they had all hit dead ends. Adopting Marvella was still a possibility, but he'd have to wait for the paperwork results while he was back in the States. The nurse had kept her end of the promise, she tried to find Aurèlie but she hadn't received any word back.

Marvella had finished the bottle and was drifting off to sleep. Her eyelids drooped and fluttered as she tried to fight to stay awake. The door to Marvella's hospital room opened slowly. The nurse entered, looking upset. She nodded at Roe and gave him a faint smile. He knew that she'd come to tell him that it was time.

"You have to leave now, Eugene." She uttered. He only nodded at her and stood up slowly to make sure he didn't wake Marvella. He handed Marvella to the nurse, whom took her in her arms gently. The nurse had started crying as she looked at Roe reluctantly, understanding his pain. "I promise I'll take care of her until you return." She whispered.

"Thank you for everything." Roe said. He softly patted Marvella on the head one last time before exiting the room. Roe was about to leave but stopped and turned to the nurse. "What's your name?" He asked, realizing that she had never told him.

"Penny." She replied. "I hope everything works out for you, Eugene."

With that, Roe left the hospital to join the rest of the battalion. Leaving the hospital, he reached into his pack that he still carried around with him and pulled out Renee's headscarf and held it in his hands. He looked up at the sky; it was clear and blue today, only a few wisps of clouds were visible. He usually would appreciate the nice weather, but was just too sad.

"I'm sorry, I tried my best." He said aloud, clutching the headscarf tightly in his hands.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:**

**Wow! Thanks again MASHlover23 for another nice review! It makes me super happy that you like the story and how I've captured Roe! It really put a smile on my face :)**

**This is the last chapter of the story. I've really enjoyed writing this story - in fact I think it's one of my favorites that I've written. Thank you all so much who's supported the story!**

* * *

_London, 1950_

Roe rode on the bus in silence as he held onto the letter that Penny had written him. He looked down at it and scanned through it once more, like he'd done countless times since receiving it back in the States.

_'Dear Eugene,_

_I'm very proud to say that your adoption paperwork has finally been processed, and has been accepted! I'm only sorry that I couldn't appeal to the orphanage directors sooner. They admired your story about Marvella, but Europe has been battered since the war and is still trying to rebuild itself from that horrible time. A lot of things have been put on hold, including adopting children. I was so excited when I heard the news that Marvella will finally be able to join you back in America, and I must say she's very excited, too. She has so many questions about you and about the Belgian nurse that you've told me so much about about. I'm sure you can fill her in when you arrive in the United Kingdom._

_Marvella has grown so much since you've last seen her. She is so smart, Eugene, you wouldn't believe that she's only six years old. She looks so forward to meeting you, as I'm sure you are as well. I visited her everyday in the orphanage so she wouldn't be left alone for too long. I wish that she could've stayed with me year-round, but I know you understand that it wouldn't have been possible. I hope this letter finds you well, and that you are able to come to London right away. I've attached some paperwork and instructions on what to bring that must be filled out before you come._

_See you then,_

_Penny'_

He couldn't believe it had been six years since he'd seen Marvella last. January 1944 was a time that would be burned into his mind forever, along with his promise to take care of Marvella. He was so grateful to Penny for keeping her end of the promise after all these years; he knew it mustn't have been easy for her. Roe felt anxious and nervous after not seeing her for so long. She was a little girl now, he was afraid that she wouldn't want to come with him, or what she'd think of him. He didn't know what he was going to say to Marvella, either. She wasn't a baby anymore.

The bus ride felt like it was taking ages as it stopped and went between destinations. Roe studied the busy streets as it sped past. Part of Roe hoped that it would take longer, he felt so scared to get off the bus. Once he got off the bus, he'd officially become Marvella's caretaker. He was going to be a father. Roe exhaled, trying to keep himself calm and steady. He had prepared back home for her, he knew after six years that he was finally ready to take Marvella into a proper living environment. He had gotten a sturdy job as a construction contractor as was able to make enough money to support the two of them. Five years ago in that hospital he was so ready to take Marvella home, but now that she'd grown up without him he felt hesitant.

The bus had reached his stop. He folded the letter from Penny and placed it in his suitcase that he'd brought with him from the States. He stood up and got off the bus. He stood still, looking up at a series of flats leading down the road. He had memorized Penny's address and knew which one to go to. He climbed the steps and stood in front of her door, his heart pounding in my chest. Standing at Penny's door reminded him of the first time he'd waited in front of Marvella's mother's door back in Bastogne. He wished that Renee could be here with him at this moment; she'd know how to ease his nerves. Roe finally brought himself to lift his hand and knock on her door.

Penny answered it. When she saw who it was, her face lit up. She flung her arms around him, laughing with joy that he'd finally made it.

"It's so good to see you, Eugene! I'm sure you're ready to see Marvella right away. Here, I'll take you to the orphanage." Penny told him, leading him inside her flat. Roe ran his hand through his black, spikey hair anxiously. She looked back at him, and beamed. "You look great, Eugene. I'm glad you've been doing well." Roe only smiled in response, feeling too flustered to speak.

* * *

Penny and Roe walked to the orphanage. It was close enough to her flat that they didn't have to take a bus. Penny talked all about Marvella's progress over the past few years on their way to the orphanage. Roe was half listening in, he was too preoccupied on thinking of what he should do when he see's Marvella. He wanted to learn about what she's been up to in her own words rather than Penny's, although he appreciated Penny's enthusiasm. They came to a tall, and refined looking building. Roe was glad that he place looked prestigious, it made him feel better about Marvella having to stay there for the first few years of her life. Penny pushed open the large door and led Roe inside. Penny went on ahead to talk to a woman sitting at a desk. The woman went through a filing cabinet and pulled out a file and read it over with Penny.

Roe waited at the entrance, nervously fidgeting his hands as the women talked. He had hit so many obstacles through the years of trying to care for Marvella, he was afraid that he'd hit another one when he was so close. Penny turned to him and signaled him over. He walked over to the desk and waited behind Penny.

"You have the paperwork?" Penny asked him. He opened his suitcase and took out the completed paperwork. The woman at the desk went through it carefully looking over every word. At the bottom of the paper she smiled and looked up at Roe.

"Are you ready to see her?" She asked.

Roe only nodded, a shy smile spreading on his face. This was the first time since things have gone well and he was so relieved. The women led them through the orphanage, which was just as nice on the inside than it was on the outside. The woman opened up a door that was labeled 'Art Room' and poked her head inside.

"Marvella?" She called.

"Yes, ma'am?" A little voice answered from inside. Roe's breath caught from the sound of her voice. He was hearing Marvella speak for the first time, he couldn't believe it.

"Penny is here to see you, and she brought someone special." The woman informed the little girl. She stepped aside and let them in. Roe peered inside and saw a large room filled with art supplies and tables. There were huge windows that were letting in a lot of natural sunlight. The sunlight shown on the center table, where a young girl was sitting at. She was hunched over a drawing, deep in concentration as she traced her pencil along the paper. Her hair was long, brown, and curly. A bow was fastened behind her head, pinning up some of her hair, as the rest fell past her shoulders. She had light skin, and the same deep and alert brown eyes that Roe remembered.

Roe felt like his knees were going to buckle underneath him. Marvella was right in front of him but he felt frozen in time. He couldn't bring himself to walk over to her or speak. Penny walked past him and knelt beside her, smiling down at her drawing.

"That's lovely, Marvella. You're getting better." Penny praised.

"Thank you." Marvella responded, still looking down at the drawing she was working on.

"There's someone here who wants to see you." Penny told her. Marvella looked up at Penny this time, interested in what she was saying. "The man I told you about, the man who had taken care of you, is here to see you today." Penny pointed over at Roe. Marvella followed with her eyes where Penny was pointing, her and Roe's eyes met from across the room. He felt tears well in his eyes, but they didn't melt down his face. Instead he smiled at her, and to his relief she smiled back.

"Eugene!" Marvella exclaimed, getting up from the table and running over to him. She stopped in front of him and peered up at the Cajun. "You're going to take me to America now?" She asked him with eagerness.

He kneeled down to her eye-level. "Yes. I'm going to take you home with me if that's okay." He managed to say.

"You talk funny!" She giggled. To his surprise she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly as he knelt down. "I've been waiting for this forever!"

He returned the hug, embracing Marvella and fighting his hardest not to cry in front of her. He didn't want her to think something was wrong. "Me too." He said.

* * *

Everything in the orphanage had been taken care of. Marvella's belongings were packed and she was officially Roe's adopted child. It felt surreal now that everything had come together, he couldn't believe that he was standing here with the little girl that he'd watched be born, and was now holding her hand while waiting outside for a bus.

"Eugene!" Penny called his name from behind him. He turned to see her approaching him, holding something in her hand. "I wanted to give this to you." She extended her arm out, revealing a photograph. He took the photo with his free hand and gazed down at it. It was a picture of Renee. She was standing in front of some hospital, grinning at the camera. She wasn't wearing her headscarf and looked like she was in a regular white nurses' uniform. It must of been a time before the war.

"How did you get this?" Roe asked, stunned.

"I dug up some records on her and ended up finding that picture. I thought you'd like to have it, and it would be nice for Marvella to know what she looked like." Penny explained, giving Roe a sad smile.

"Thank you, Penny. That means a lot." Roe replied gratefully. He was glad that he had more than just the torn headscarf to remember her by.

"Can I see?" Marvella asked, looking up at the two adults.

" 'Course, sweetheart." Roe said, handing the girl the picture. She took it in both of her hands and studied it.

"This is the nurse I got my surname after?" Marvella said aloud in wonderment. "She's pretty."

"Yes, she was." Roe agreed, his voice quietly fading toward the end. The memory of her flooded his mind as Marvella held the photograph, he wished that Renee could've been here at this moment. It would of meant the world to her.

They said their goodbyes to Penny as they boarded the bus. Marvella sat in the window seat, kicking her feet back and forth and humming as the bus drove on. She was staring out the window, watching as people and buildings went past and out of sight.

"Are we going to American now?" Marvella asked, turning her head around to face Roe.

"I was thinking that we'd stop somewhere else first." Roe told her with a smile. "A little vacation before we go back home."

"Where are we going to go?" Marvella asked excitedly.

"I was thinking that we could go to Paris."

Marvella squealed happily, making Roe laugh as she clapped her hands in delight. She told him that she'd never been out of London before, well not that she remembered. Roe watched her fondly, wishing that this moment would last forever. As Marvella continued to look out of the bus window and sing happily, Roe looked back down at Renee's photograph.

He stared at the photograph for a long time, studying every detail about it. "I've finally done it, Renee. I was able to keep my promise. I hope… I hope I'll do okay with raising her…" Roe whispered down at Renee's smiling face. He hoped that she'd be proud of him. "Thank you." He whispered again at the photograph. "Thank you for everything."


End file.
